College football recruiting stays wild, but this one’s got coaches sweating bullets. Picture this: a 6’6, 225-pound freak of nature, faster than half the DBs out there, meaner than a linebacker, and smooth enough to rack up 45 offers like they were candy on Halloween. Everybody wants him, but only five schools made the cut. And now? The man’s about to lock in his future. But not before he does a tour like he’s the hottest name in rap. Oh, and don’t let his size fool you—this kid moves like a WR, hits like a linebacker, and plays like he’s got a personal vendetta against opposing defenses.
Look, Mack Sutter ain’t your average tight end. The Dunlap product has officially narrowed his choices down to Alabama, Illinois, Penn State, Ole Miss, and Ohio State—five programs that don’t recruit; they reload. This ain’t just another commitment. We’re talkin’ about the No. 6 tight end in the 2026 class, this Swiss Army ranked No. 111 nationally, and the No. 3 overall player in Illinois. His decision is the kind that shakes up a recruiting class.
“I will be locking in on these five schools and hopefully be ready to make a decision right after my last (official visit),” Mack Sutter told recruiting insider Hayes Fawcett. And yeah, Illinois kicks things off April 11, followed by Ole Miss (April 25), Ohio State (May 30), Penn State (June 6), and Alabama (June 20). Safe to say, those campuses better roll out the red carpet. The man’s got options, and he knows it.
This Dunlap native is keeping everyone on their toes. He dropped a “Where’s home” comment on the On3 post, and the internet went wild. Even the recruiting gurus are playing detective, but Illinois is looking like the frontrunner. The hometown squad has been pushing hard, with head coach Bret Bielema himself being a regular at Dunlap High, even hitting the gym last month to watch his priority target hoop it up. And the player’s been feeling the love, visiting Champaign a bunch of times this season, including game days during their impressive 10-win run. “They’re pretty high on my list,” he admitted. “It’s always fun coming back and spending time with these people.” But, as they say, it ain’t over ’til it’s over—don’t count out the big dogs just yet.
Alabama is Alabama—they don’t miss when they want a guy. Ohio State’s low-key Tight End U in recent years, churning out NFL talent. Penn State? James Franklin knows how to sell a vision. And Ole Miss? Lane Kiffin loves an offensive weapon like Sutter, and the NIL game in Oxford is pretty lit.
Mack Sutter’s keeping his cards close, but his visits will be telling. As he put it himself, “I look at how the staff and the players interact and how they get along. With NIL now, money separates some teams, so I look at that. Who works together? What team is all together as one? Who is not there for the money?” Translation? He’s not just chasing a bag—he’s looking for a real football family.
College football’s tight end arms race
We are in an evolving era; tight ends are just more than just a blocker. The tight ends ain’t just colossal bodies blocking on the line anymore—they are straight-up game-changers now. This new-gen breed? They got 6’5-ish size, can run 4.5s speed, and got hands like a wide receiver, but they’ll still put a DL in the dirt when needed. Back in the day, tight ends were basically just extra linemen who caught a pass every now and then. But now? They are out here running routes like WR1s, cooking safeties, and turning short catches into big plays. The market demand for tight ends is crazy. One great tight end is worth 10 receivers in today’s football economy.
4-star tight ends like Mack Sutter don’t grow on trees, and 5 schools know that. The modern TE is a cheat code and QB’s best friend, and guys like Brock Bowers and Kyle Pitts showed how they can tilt the field and are now cooking in the big leagues. Look, programs are literally willing to break the bank (legally) with NIL deals to land an elite pass-catching tight end, and Sutter’s checking all the boxes.
Each school is pitching a different vision—some see him as a move tight end, others as an inline bruiser, and a few might even let him flex out like a true WR. The competition to land him is cutthroat, and when Sutter finally makes that call, you best believe it’s gonna have ripple effects.
Last season, Mack Sutter stacked up 35 reps, 505 yards, and 7 touchdowns, proving he’s more than just a big body. And if that ain’t enough, he pulled double duty, suiting up at linebacker, racking up 29 tackles, 6 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and even a pick-six. Oh, and just for fun? He moonlighted at quarterback for a game, throwing for 119 yards like it was nothing.
April to June is the make-or-break season for these 5 programs. Sutter’s last stop is Alabama on June 20 and after that? Decision time. Until then, coaches are going to throw everything they got at him—home visits, calls, messages, and probably a whole lotta “come be legendary” pitches. One thing’s for sure—whoever lands Mack Sutter ain’t just getting a tight end. They’re getting a walking mismatch, a dude that can change an offense overnight. And once he makes that final call? College football better be ready.
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